Vehicle with removable pin for lift assembly

Abstract

A vehicle system includes a first vehicle and a second vehicle. The first vehicle includes a first drive motor configured to drive one or more of a first plurality of tractive elements to propel the first vehicle, and a first cradle configured to support a product at a first end thereof for movement. The second vehicle includes a second drive motor configured to drive one or more of a second plurality of tractive elements to propel the second vehicle, and a second cradle configured to support the product at a second end thereof for movement. The first vehicle and the second vehicle move the product via at least one of the first drive motor or the second drive motor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle system comprising:
 a first vehicle including:
 a first chassis; 
 a first plurality of tractive elements coupled to the first chassis, the first plurality of tractive elements configured to engage a ground surface to support the first vehicle; 
 a first drive motor configured to drive one or more of the first plurality of tractive elements to propel the first vehicle; and 
 a first cradle configured to support a product at a first end thereof for movement; and 
   a second vehicle including:
 a second chassis; 
 a second plurality of tractive elements coupled to the second chassis, the second plurality of tractive elements configured to engage the ground surface to support the second vehicle; 
 a second drive motor configured to drive one or more of the second plurality of tractive elements to propel the second vehicle; and 
 a second cradle configured to support the product at a second end thereof for movement; 
   wherein the first vehicle and the second vehicle move the product via at least one of the first drive motor or the second drive motor.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle system of  claim 1 , wherein the first cradle is rotatable relative to the first chassis and the second cradle is rotatable relative to the second chassis. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle system of  claim 2 , wherein the first vehicle includes a first rotation locking assembly selectively transitionable between a first state in which rotation of the first cradle relative to the first chassis is inhibited and a second state in which rotation of the first cradle relative to the first chassis is permitted, and wherein the second vehicle includes a second rotation locking assembly selectively transitionable between a first state in which rotation of the second cradle relative to the second chassis is inhibited and a second state in which rotation of the second cradle relative to the second chassis is permitted. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle system of  claim 3 , wherein, in a first configuration of the vehicle system, the first vehicle is a front vehicle and the first rotation locking assembly is in the second state, and the second vehicle is a rear vehicle and the second rotation locking assembly is in the first state. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle system of  claim 4 , wherein the vehicle system is selectively transitionable from the first configuration to a second configuration in which the first vehicle is the rear vehicle and the first rotation locking assembly is in the first state, and the second vehicle is the front vehicle and the second rotation locking assembly is in the second state. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle system of  claim 5 , further comprising one or more processing circuits configured to:
 monitor a state of the first rotation locking assembly and the second rotation locking assembly; and   permit operation of the first vehicle and the second vehicle in a first mode of operation in response to a determination that (i) the first rotation locking assembly or the second rotation locking assembly of the front vehicle is in the second state and (ii) the other one of the first rotation locking assembly or the second rotation locking assembly of the rear vehicle is in the first state.   
     
     
         7 . The vehicle system of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more processing circuits are configured to limit operation of at least one of the first vehicle or the second vehicle in a second mode of operation in response to a determination that at least one of (i) the first rotation locking assembly or the second rotation locking assembly of the front vehicle is not in the second state or (ii) the other one of the first rotation locking assembly or the second rotation locking assembly of the rear vehicle is not in the first state. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle system of  claim 3 , wherein the first vehicle includes a first platform configured to be raised and lowered relative to the first chassis, the first cradle rotatably coupled to the first platform, and wherein the second vehicle includes a second platform configured to be raised and lowered relative to the second chassis. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the first platform defines a first platform aperture;   the second platform defines a second platform aperture;   the first rotation locking assembly includes a first pin and a first bracket extending from the first cradle, the first bracket defining a first bracket aperture;   the second rotation locking assembly includes a second pin and a second bracket extending from the second cradle, the second bracket defining a second bracket aperture; and   in the first state, the first pin is received in the first bracket aperture and the first platform aperture to inhibit rotation of the first cradle relative to the first platform, and the second pin is received in the second bracket aperture and the second platform aperture to inhibit rotation of the second cradle relative to the second platform.   
     
     
         10 . The vehicle system of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the first rotation locking assembly includes a third bracket extending from the first cradle, the third bracket defining a third bracket aperture;   the second rotation locking assembly includes a fourth bracket extending from the second cradle, the fourth bracket defining a fourth bracket aperture; and   in the second state, the first pin is received in the third bracket aperture to permit rotation of the first cradle relative to the first platform, and the second pin is received in the fourth bracket aperture to permit rotation of the second cradle relative to the second platform.   
     
     
         11 . The vehicle system of  claim 9 , wherein the first pin and the second pin are manually movable to transition the vehicle system between a first configuration and a second configuration. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle system of  claim 11 , wherein the first pin is movably coupled to the first cradle by a first tether, and wherein the second pin is movably coupled to the second cradle by a second tether. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle system of  claim 1 , wherein the first vehicle includes a first body supported by the first chassis, the first body having a first side defining a first length from the first cradle and a second side defining a second length less than the first length from the first cradle, wherein the second vehicle includes a second body supported by the second chassis, the second body having a first side defining a first length from the second cradle and a second side defining a second length less than the first length from the second cradle, and wherein, when supporting the product, the first vehicle is oriented in a first direction and the second vehicle is oriented in a second direction opposite the first direction such that the first side of the first vehicle and the first side of the second vehicle are positioned away from a space between the first vehicle and the second vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle system of  claim 13 , wherein the first vehicle includes a first user interface positioned along the first side of the first vehicle, and wherein the second vehicle includes a second user interface positioned along the first side of the second vehicle. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle system of  claim 1 , wherein the first vehicle is in communication with the second vehicle. 
     
     
         16 . A method of transporting a product, the method comprising:
 providing a first vehicle including a first chassis and a first cradle configured to support the product for movement, the first cradle rotatable relative to the first chassis;   providing a second vehicle including a second chassis and a second cradle configured to support the product for movement, the second cradle rotatable relative to the second chassis;   placing a pin in a second aperture defined by the second cradle such that rotation of the second cradle relative to the second chassis is inhibited; and   controlling at least one of the first vehicle or the second vehicle to transport the product in a first direction;   wherein, when the pin is placed in the second aperture, the first vehicle and the second vehicle are in a first configuration in which the first vehicle is a front vehicle and the second vehicle is a rear vehicle.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 removing the pin from the second aperture; and   placing the pin in a first aperture defined by the first cradle such that rotation of the first cradle relative to the first chassis is inhibited and rotation of the second cradle relative to the second chassis is permitted;   wherein removing the pin from the second aperture and placing the pin in the first aperture transitions the first vehicle and the second vehicle from the first configuration to a second configuration in which the second vehicle is the front vehicle and the first vehicle is the rear vehicle.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the product is a first product, and wherein the method further comprises:
 removing the first product from being supported by the first cradle and the second cradle;   supporting, by the first cradle and the second cradle, a second product; and   controlling at least one of the first vehicle or the second vehicle to transport the second product in a second direction opposite the first direction when the first vehicle and the second vehicle are in the second configuration.   
     
     
         19 . A vehicle system comprising:
 two vehicles, each vehicle including:
 a chassis; 
 a plurality of tractive elements coupled to the chassis, the plurality of tractive elements configured to engage a ground surface to support the vehicle; 
 a drive system configured to drive one or more of the plurality of tractive elements to propel the vehicle and steer one or more of the plurality of tractive elements to steer the vehicle; 
 a platform defining a platform aperture; 
 a cradle configured to support a respective end of a product for movement, the cradle rotatably coupled to the platform; 
 a bracket coupled with the cradle and defining a bracket aperture; and 
 a pin configured to be received in the platform aperture and the bracket aperture to inhibit rotation of the cradle relative to the platform; and 
   one or more processing circuits configured to:
 monitor a position of the pin; and 
 control the drive system of at least one of the two vehicles based on the position of the pin; 
   wherein the two vehicles are configured to transition between a first configuration and a second configuration by moving the pin out of the platform aperture and the bracket aperture of a first vehicle of the two vehicles and into the platform aperture and the bracket aperture of a second vehicle of the two vehicles.   
     
     
         20 . The vehicle system of  claim 19 , wherein, in the first configuration, the one or more processing circuits are configured to control the drive system of at least one of the two vehicles to transport the product in a first direction, and wherein, in the second configuration, the one or more processing circuits are configured to control the drive system of at least one of the two vehicles to transport the product in a second direction.